ARISUN MOUNT GRAHAM 27.5X2.2″ TIRE TEST

There are a few of us at Mountain Bike Action who love a good set of fast cross-country tires. For years tire designers have been trying to find a perfect balance between speed and traction wrapped in a tough, lightweight package. A good set of tires can be the difference between winning and losing, or walking home instead of riding.

Arisun has made a big push into the tire market in the last couple years in hopes of becoming a go-to for riders. We have ridden a few of their treads in the last year and had mixed feelings, but the Mount Graham has given us a fresh perspective on what Arisun is capable of.

Tech Info:

The Mount Graham is one of several XC tires in Arisun’s lineup and has a very unique tread pattern. Arisun designed the tread with a series of diamond-shaped knobs in a close pattern with wide shoulder knobs for extra grip in corners. The Mount Graham is available in 26-, 27.5- and 29-inch diameters with 2.0 or 2.2 widths. There are two different compounds and casings available, depending on what riders are looking for as far as flat protection. Our set of test tires is 120 tpi and is tubeless ready. The Mount Graham weighs 586 grams and retails for $41.

On the Trail:

We set up the Mount Graham tires on a pair of SRAM Rise 60 wheels. At 30 psi, the tires popped on the bead and held firmly during our testing. Arisun recommends running the tire pressure between 35 and 65 psi. For our first ride, we started a little high at 40, but found a very comfortable pressure at 30 in the rear and 28 in the front. The sidewalls are stiff enough that lighter riders will be able to get away with slightly lower pressures. Our testers liked the layout of the knobs, especially the wider shoulder knobs that grabbed the trail when leaning the bike over. The shoulder knobs have a slim design but hooked up surprisingly well when pushed hard in corners.

The Mount Grahams rolled quickly and gave us very little resistance on flat sections and long grinding climbs. On steeper sections of trail, the rear tread gripped the dirt and didn’t spin out when our body position was shifted properly. At high speeds, the tires felt stiff and allowed our testers to rip through corners a little faster than normal. These tires excelled on groomed singletrack and long cross- country rides. In mild technical sections the Grahams rolled well, but they aren’t suited for rocky trails. Our testers were impressed with the overall durability of the tread, which showed very little wear over the course of our testing. We ran 2.2s in the front and rear, but riders looking for a little extra speed will find plenty of traction running a 2.0 in the back.

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